


The Dangers of Enthrallment

by Arghnon



Series: IDOLiSH7 Fantasy Bounty Hunter AU [3]
Category: IDOLiSH7 (Video Game)
Genre: M/M, Multi, Nightmares, magical bounty hunter au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-22
Updated: 2019-06-22
Packaged: 2020-05-16 16:16:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,666
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19321690
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arghnon/pseuds/Arghnon
Summary: EnthrallmentThe rare magical skill to subdue a person's will so they may follow the user's whim. It requires a large magical pool and more magic is required the stronger the victim's will. Users often aim to have the victim think their change of will is of their own accord however this is not always the case.(The pythag trio talk about enthrallment and Nagi has a nightmare)





	The Dangers of Enthrallment

**Author's Note:**

> It may help for you to read the other fic in this series called 'A Moment's Rest'. It is a kind of exposition of this world but I think it's self explanatory. I hope it is anyways.
> 
> Some terminology:
> 
> Magical pool - the amount of magic a person has at hand. The larger the pool the more powerful the magic.  
> Inflexible (magic) - the more inflexible the magic the harder it is to switch from one specialty to another  
> Shifting - shape-shifting essentially. It isn't an illusion and often is a full body change which is why it's more difficult the more different your body is to the image you're aiming for.

“Enthrallment sure is scary!” Mitsuki stretches besides Nagi. Both of them were leaning against the wall, sitting on the bed. Yamato sat on the other side of Nagi. He has deigned it fit to trap the two of them by laying his legs across theirs.

“It is a terrifying art. I do hope that this does not taint your image of me, regardless,” Nagi insists. He gets the reaction he wants, both of them immediately turning down the idea. He appreciates how they both rub at his shoulders and arms in comfort.

“That’s definitely not what I meant! Look at Yamato-san here. It’s pretty scary as well how good you are at shifting. You really can change into anyone!” Mitsuki adds.

“Have you looked at yourself yet, Mr. Informant?" Yamato counters, "Only a year and you have a network that covers the entire city. Imagine if you had all the fancy shifting and enthralling magic! Now that’s scary! Oniisan gets shivers just thinking about it.”

“Truly Mitsuki is powerful all on his own. Yamato, we must work together to contain his main source of power: his cute manliness,” Nagi whispers sagely. 

"Let us conquer this common threat. Together." Yamato grabs his shoulder and their eyes meet. They lock hands dramatically as Mitsuki watches on wondering how he ended up dating two idiots.

“What are you guys talking about! We were talking about enthrallment remember? Stop doing whatever you want!” he smacks their clasped fists out of the way. Nagi whines exaggeratedly at the roughness. 

“I thought you just wanted to say how scary it is,” Yamato drawls. He lets his head lay on Nagi's shoulder.

“No, I wanna know how it works! Shifting, I get. There’s limits to body differences and stuff and how it correlates to your magical pool. But how does enthrallment work? How far does it go?” Mitsuki asks, leaning in closer to Nagi.

“I guess we really don’t know much about it at all. Do a lot of people know how to enthrall in Northmare?” Yamato asks. 

Both of them have shifted now to look at Nagi, green and orange eyes looking at him from below with curiosity. 

“Magic is actually quite rare in the western countries. It is often limited to the royal family and any outliers are seen as outcasts. Even within the royal family, it is often an inheritable and very specialized magic. For Northmare, it is the magic of enthrallment,” Nagi explains. He stops. Was it too much mentioning the royal family? Somehow, all the words just spilled out of him. 

Yamato shifts closer. He leans his head back looking at the ceiling, thinking.

“Ah, is that why your magic is so inflexible. It’s highly specialized at its core,” he concludes. Mitsuki mumbles something about how this magic talk is too much for someone like him, even though he was the one who asked first. “How far can you go though, with enthrallment?” 

Nagi blinks, confused. 

“What do you mean?”

“How far can you enthrall someone? Can you make them your slave or something?” Yamato asks. Mitsuki swats at him, as much as he can from across Nagi. 

“Don’t ask such scary questions, old man!” 

"You're the one who started it!"

“It’s alright, it may be important for you two to know. The furthest you can enthrall someone is into their core memories. It takes a long time for such enthrallment to take hold. For example, you two may think you are members of the infamous Japanese bounty hunter group ‘Ainana’ under Lord Takanashi when actually you are not."

Both Yamato and Mitsuki ooh and aah at his explanation. 

"Ah, that really is scary!" Mitsuki shivers.

“What a weirdly detailed example,” Yamato comments.

Nagi realizes, suddenly, that they aren’t in his room. Or Mitsuki’s. Or Yamato’s. Or any room in Ainana’s hideout. In fact, they were not sitting on a futon at all but a traditional four poster bed. 

“Yeah, a Japanese bounty hunter group called ‘Ainana’, huh. Guess there’s 7 members in that?” Mitsuki adds.

He spots the window from behind them. Those are not Japanese buildings he sees through the glass. Those are not the skies he sees from the place he called home for the past year.

“Who would they be?” Yamato wonders, “And who’s Lord Takanashi? That's a really specific name to choose, Nagi. Is he from a manga you read recently?”

The room starts spinning. He feels hot all of a sudden. And dizzy. Like his vision is blurred. He can’t focus his eyes on anything.

“What’s wrong, Nagi?” 

He can’t tell who asked the question.

“Are you okay?” 

The voices sound far away, muffled like he’s underwater. Drowning, maybe. Someone holds his hand. He wrenches it out of their grip.

“Where are we? Where am I?” his voice is panicked. He doesn’t know what language he’s speaking in anymore.

“What are you talking about?” their voices are in unison as they say what he wants to hear the least, “We’re in Northmare. In your brother’s palace.” 

He looks up and sees him blocking the light from the window. He is as beautiful and cold as ever like a statue carved from ice. His blue eyes pin him. He shifts his head, examining him as if he were a particularly interesting piece of dust found under his magnifying glass.

“How nice of you to return home, dear brother Valhart.”

Nagi jolts awake. His hands grace the wall finding relief at the rice paper material he feels under his fingertips. He’s breathing hard. He has to wipe the sweat off his own face. 

He looks around and takes in the room. He spots the watercolour paintings decorating his wall. He finds the matching plush toys him, Yamato and Mitsuki share tucked in the corner of his room. His room. In Japan. 

He tries to steady his breathing. He places a hand against his chest, feeling the rapid beating against the palm of his hand. He is in Japan. He is in Ainana's hideout and in his room. Mitsuki and Yamato have not been enthralled by his brother, they are safe-

Are they?

He rips the sheets from his body and walks hurriedly to their rooms. He finds both of them empty of his loves. He very nearly runs to the living area. They must be there. They couldn't have been taken from right under his nose.

He nearly falls on his face upon entering the living area with how fast he walked. He sighs in relief when he sees Yamato napping on the pillows and Mitsuki cooking. 

They are safe. It is fine. 

"You're awake!" Mitsuki greets him with a quick smile before he turns back to the bubbling pot of oil in front of him. The crackle of tempura fills the room. The smell is delicious.

Yamato shifts at the noise. He buries himself deeper into the pillow clutched in his arms. Some mumble of words spill from his lips but otherwise he stays steadfastly asleep.

"The old man was gonna help out but when he almost cut his finger off peeling the prawn, I told him to go rest. He's had a long day of scouting," Mitsuki explains. There's a fondness in his voice that melts away a bit of the fear that still lingers in Nagi's chest.

Nagi crouches by Yamato. He pushes some of his messy hair behind his ear and presses his lips to his cheek. He breathes in his warmth and smell, reassuring himself that he is still there and not a faded dream. He leaves him with a kiss when he starts to stir.

He moves to the kitchen and hugs Mitsuki from behind. He clutches his small frame tightly. He hides his face in his hair, inhaling as much of him as he can. He rubs his nose into the top of his head and tries to memorise the shape of Mitsuki in his arms.

"Hey, hey! I'm handling hot oil here! Be careful!" He scolds Nagi. 

He whines at Mitsuki's complaints but complies eventually. He presses a wet kiss on his cheek before he nips a bite of tempura earning him more scolding.

"What's with you today? You're being extra clingy." Mitsuki shoots him a side glance. He can see concern lining his gaze.

"I am simply feeling love in the air! Can a man not appreciate his two lovers when he feels it is right to do so? The Japanese are far too shy with their love. You do not need an occasion to shower and proclaim you adoration!" He does a twirl complete with a pose and a wink. Mitsuki rolls his eyes at his antics.

"Fine. Don't tell me what's bothering you. You and that geezer are way too secretive."

Nagi protests at his claims. He pouts at Mitsuki until he laughs.

"It's okay. I still love you both," his voice is quiet, soft yet loving, "Whatever is bothering you that you won't tell me, just know me and Yamato will always be by your side, yeah? So rely on us too!"

He sends him that blinding smile only Mitsuki can give. It eases the tension in his body but sadness still blooms in his chest.

"I know." His own voice comes out quieter than he means too. It earns him another worried glance but Mitsuki eventually turns back to his cooking.

He knows they will always be by his side. They will try with all their might because that is the kind of people they are: passionate and loyal in their own separate ways. Even when it is far too dangerous for them to be so.

And soon it will be too dangerous for them to stand by him, no matter how much he wishes to have them forever. They will stay by him even if it could cost them their lives. 

So when that time comes, for their sake, he will have to be the one to leave their side.

**Author's Note:**

> Wanted to post this for Nagi's birthday but I figured it's a little too emo for such a happy event lol. 
> 
> fun stuff of this au, the member's listed by how big their magical pool is and how inflexible their magic is:
> 
> biggest to smallest magical pool  
> sougo>riku>nagi>yamato>iori>mitsuki>tamaki
> 
> Most flexible to least flexible  
> iori>yamato>sougo>riku>mitsuki>nagi>tamaki
> 
> (tamaki just rly sucks at magic while sougo is a magic beast. duality of mezzo!)
> 
> I'm now posting fic links on my art twitter account here: https://twitter.com/marshyartsy


End file.
